A League Of Their Own
by Mecha74
Summary: The year is 1943. Over forty years after the events of the original LXG an aged Tom Sawyer must bring together a new League to go on an important mission that will change the course of the second World War. Rated T for violence, gore and mild language.


Just wanted to drop a line to let you know that the Edgar Rice Burroughs characters and places in this story are based on their film versions, not their literary originals.

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A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN

X

X

1943

New York

Somewhere in the Bronx

A predator stalked its prey through the streets of the city. Like a hungry animal anticipating the kill it drew ever closer to its quarry. Soon hopefully the right opportunity would come for it to strike, there were very few people on the streets after dark but patience was key, couldn't risk anyone seeing or hearing anything. But the hunter was so hungry, its desire ravenous and unyielding. It took all the self control it had to restrain itself from acting upon its craving.

But what was this? Suddenly the intended victim turned into a dark alley off the sidewalk. Yes! Finally the chance had come! Almost losing composure the menacing figure rushed into the alley, standing at the far end of it in near blackness was its target…she couldn't have been more than 12 years old.

So young…so innocent…so beautiful.

The disgusting pedophile licked his lips, his expectations and preconceptions of what was to come arousing him to the point that he was in danger of prematurely finishing before he even had a chance to touch her as he closed in on her. She faced away from him, he moved carefully and quietly to avoid detection. Soon he was but feet away from her and then…he stepped into Hell.

She quickly spun around, but the face the rapist saw was not that of a young girl, but a demon instead.

In an instant the prepubescent vampire was upon him…his throat was ripped out before he even had a chance to scream.

In the aftermath of her feeding she characteristically snapped his neck as she had done with countless others before. Thankfully no one had seen or heard anything on the main street…or so she thought.

The sounds of sudden but gradual clapping startled her as Abby leaped up to face a shadowy figure that now stood in the alley with her.

"Well done, I can think of few other kinds of scum for you to sate your bloodlust on my dear." The stranger said.

"Who are you?" She said defensively in a voice that was still partially demonic as she gradually reverted to her human visage.

"My name," He began to say as he stepped into a stray beam of moonlight that managed to penetrate the darkness of the alley, "Is Tom Sawyer, formally of the American Secret service, now a member of a recently created division of the United States government called the Demon Research Initiative. Our job is to investigate the supernatural."

The man in question looked to in his late sixties with patches of gray in his hair and was dressed in a brown trench coat.

"What do you want with me?"

"I need your help."

Abby gave a somewhat skeptical and at the same time bewildered look.

"Don't look so surprised, as we speak other operatives of our organization are recruiting another vampire right here in New York for a mission on board a submarine in the Atlantic. Listen, all I ask is that you hear me out. Also, if you help us the rewards could be greater than you could possibly imagine."

"You have nothing that I want."

"How about your humanity?"

"What?"

"Surely as a creature of the supernatural you are at least aquatinted with the basic concepts of magic? We have connections, I know someone who can rid you of the vampire curse forever."

"If I help you."

"If you help us."

"Why should I trust you?"

"Do you really have anything to fear from me? You could clearly overpower and kill me if you so chose could you not? Give me a chance to prove my sincerity."

For the longest time Abby said and did nothing more as if unsure how she should react.

"Please." Sawyer pleaded.

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Abby eventually found herself in a large abandoned warehouse somewhere in the Meatpacking District of Manhattan. In the center of the otherwise empty storage area was an oblong table that Sawyer and Abby now stood next to.

"You still haven't told me why I'm here." Abby stated.

"Patience, we must wait for the others to arrive, then all shall be revealed."

"Others?" She asked with an obvious look of confusion.

Just then the first of them came into view. Abby looked over to see a middle aged looking man in brown leather jacket and a brown fedora carrying at his side a bullwhip.

"Dr. Jones, welcome. Or would you prefer your more sensationalist moniker, Indiana Jones?"

"Dr. Jones will do just fine Sawyer."

_"Indiana Jones?" _

Abby had remembered reading about the famous archeologist/adventurer in various newspapers across the country, but what was he doing here?

The next to arrive was another man in a fedora, but this one was midnight blue with a purple band around its base above the brim. The rest of his wardrobe was of the same dark blue with a flowing cape that was a burgundy red on the inside. The bottom part of his face was concealed behind a red scarf whose color matched the interior lining of his cloak.

"The Shadow, welcome, I am glad that you could make it." Sawyer professed.

_"The Shadow too?_" Abby thought to herself.

She had only recently become familiar with this individual since arriving in New York, as he was one of the city's resident vigilantes that the New York Times was constantly doing articles on.

The next to arrive Abby did not recognize but his identity was not the only thing abut him that perplexed her. Standing before them all was a rather strapping looking man…in a loin cloth?

"Tarzan, welcome to you as well my friend."

"Why you bring Tarzan here, Tarzan no like city, want to go back home to jungle."

"My sincerest apologies Tarzan, but do trust me when I say that I would not have arranged for your being brought here if it was not of the utmost importance."

The last to arrive was a young long brunette haired girl who looked to be in her teens. Seventeen or eighteen at the oldest decked out in a black 'sloppy Joe' pullover sweater, a pair of baggy jeans rolled up just below her knees and simple loafers with cotton socks. Abby studied her carefully but there didn't seem to be anything special or out of the ordinary about her.

"And last but certainly not least Elizabeth Winters, greetings my dear."

"Stuff your pleasantries, I ain't here because I want to be."

"True enough Miss Winters, but the government has agreed to wipe your slate clean in exchange for your services, a fair trade I wager."

"Let's just get this over wi-" Elizabeth stopped in mid sentence when she spotted Abby.

The teenager's expression then changed from annoyance to outright rage in the blink of an eye as she suddenly drew a wooden stake and lunged at Abby with inhuman speed. The tiny vampire bolted up onto the ceiling at the last possible second.

"What the Hell?" Elizabeth cursed.

"Miss Winters, if you will just allow me to explain-"

"You never said that I would have to work with a vampire!"

"Please Miss Winters, if you could just calm your self and restrain your Slayer tendencies for just a moment?"

_"A Slayer?"_

Abby had never encountered one before but she was familiar with the legend.

_In every generation there is a Chosen One. She alone will stand against the vampires, the demons, and the forces of darkness. She is the Slayer._

"Gentlemen, most of you are familiar with each other's work through reputation and you have all made headlines at one time or another across the globe, but allow me to introduce you all to the relative unknown of this group, Abigail Macready, a vampire who seeks reclamation. And with my help, once she has helped you all complete the task at hand, she will have it." Sawyer clarified.

"Get bent, I'm ditching this joint." The Slayer said as she turned to leave.

"It would be a pity if the local authorities were to get word of your Mob connections my dear." Sawyer said politely causing her to halt in her tracks.

"You son of a bitch." She said turning back around.

"Think of me what you like, it matters not, all that matters is the mission, and I will do what ever I must to insure the cooperation of everyone present."

"And what exactly is this mission?" Indy asked as Abby slowly but surely brought herself back down to the table.

"Are any of you familiar with a group that was once known as the League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen?" Sawyer asked.

"I've heard of them?" Indy answered.

"You were a member of that group were you not?" The Shadow questioned Sawyer.

"Indeed I was. Me, Allan Quartermain, Captain Nemo, Mina Harker, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Rodney Skinner the invisible man. A group initially brought together under false pretenses 40 years ago as a ruse orchestrated by criminal mastermind James Moriarty as part of a plot to take over the world. But in the end the League was true to itself and rose above its nefarious origins to stop Moriarty and save the world. And many grand adventures were had afterward as well. Ah…those were the days, back when I was young and headstrong. But that was then and this is now." He finished with a smile and his arms outstretched from his sides as if referring to those presently gathered.

"Are you saying that we're, the new League?" Indy asked with a cocked eyebrow.

"Indeed I am."

"Interesting." The Shadow commented.

All Elizabeth did was let out a disgruntled huff at the idea, while Abby and Tarzan simply looked on silently.

"Listen Sawyer, it ain't that we don't appreciate the offer and all, but in case you haven't noticed our plates are kinda full as it is." Indy told him.

"Fear not gentlemen, I'm not expecting a lifetime commitment from any of you. This is just a one time deal, but the mission in question is important nonetheless."

"Details?" The Shadow asked.

"Well as you all know our brave men and women are currently fighting the Axis overseas. But our intelligence sources have recently gotten word that that the Nazis are in the process of developing a terrible new weapon, one that could change the face of the war and turn things in the Axis' favor."

"What is it?" Indy asked.

"A destructive device so terrible that it can wipe out entire cities, one that a certain member of this group is more familiar with than most."

"You can't be serious?" The Shadow asked.

"I'm afraid I am."

"Another atomic bomb?" The Shadow went on.

"Atomic bomb? Isn't that what that madman Shi-wan Khan tried to use to blow up New York about ten years ago?" Indy said.

"The same, so what's the plan?" The Shadow queried.

"Simple, we beat them to the punch and build one of our own."

"Okay, so then why do you need us?" The Slayer finally spoke up.

"Though we have top men currently working on the project like Robert Oppenheimer and David Bohm among several others, we have hit a few roadblocks. We need one more man to complete the process."

"You want Dr. Reinhardt Lane." The Shadow surmised.

"Correct, the man who perfected the very first atom bomb single-handedly."

"Okay, so why not enlist his aid then?" Indy asked.

"At one time we did, we contacted him long before we learned that the Nazis were creating their own and procured the bomb schematics from him."

"So what's the problem?" The Shadow questioned.

"It wasn't until we recently started trying to build our own that we realized that Dr. Lane omitted some important details in his blueprints. Without this vital information we cannot complete the bomb. We believe he did this on purpose because he feared the idea of the weapon being used."

"Do you know if the Nazi's are having the same problems you are?" Indy stated.

"Possibly, but scumbags or not their scientists are ingenious, that and we fear that Doctor Lane's former partner Farley Claymore may have been a double agent selling secrets to the highest bidder. A large sum of money was deposited into a Swiss bank account in his name three days before he died. In any case when America officially entered the war Lane vanished."

"Vanished? To where?" The Shadow inquired.

"Well, we have our…suspicions."

"What does that mean?" The Slayer chimed in.

"Intel places his last known location being the Antarctic Circle as a part of an expedition and we have spoken to the local Inuit tribes that said they encountered him. They claimed he was looking for Pellucidar."

"Pellucidar?" Tarzan finally spoke, "Why scientist person go to Pellucidar, Pellucidar dangerous place."

"Indeed it is." Sawyer agreed."

"Pellucidar? But that's just a legend, isn't it?" Indy suggested.

"I can assure you Dr, Jones that it is very real, we have reason to believe that Dr. Lane entered a secret passage to Pellucidar at the polar cap."

"And you want us to bring him back." Indy guessed with an awkward smile.

"Correct."

"So you're sending all of us after one guy?" The Slayer sneered.

"Yes. Though it is true that I could have simply had any one of you appointed for this task, I believe there's strength in numbers. That plus there's no room for error here, you must succeed. The outcome of the war is depending on you all. Also as Tarzan has already said Pellucidar is a dangerous place, he is but one of a handful of people to have journeyed there and lived to tell the tale, he will be your guide, he is familiar with the dangers, geography and peoples' of that land."

"So we're heading to the South Pole?" The Shadow asked.

"No, time is of the essence, setting up an expedition to utilize the polar passage could take weeks or even months, We have a more direct route in mind. In order to further elaborate you will all have to come with me if you please Ladies and Gentlemen."

The group was escorted to a large covered army truck that they stepped into the back of. They were then transported out of New York crossing the New Jersey border until they found themselves driving into the New Jersey pine barrens. After traveling deep into the woods they headed strait for what seemed to be the side of a mountain, ready to crash into it at any moment. But just then a camouflaged door suddenly slid open at the last second as they drove through, the door then quickly closed behind them.

They now found themselves in what had the appearance of a large hangar bay. As the vehicle came to a stop, its occupants stepped out to see a rather unusual sight indeed.

Sitting before them was what appeared to be a giant metal tube with what looked to be a massive drill on the end of it. On the side of the metal tube were claw-like fixtures while the drill itself had several independently moving sharp parts that would help to facilitate its obvious function. Several others lights and sounds were also going off that eventually culminated in a titanic booster engine at the rear igniting for a brief moment. Abby gazed at the bizarre machine with a combination of curiosity and confusion, one that the rest of the group shared until one of them broke the silence.

"A giant drill?" The Shadow pondered aloud.

"The correct term is 'the Iron Mole'" A voice called out from within the contraption.

It was then that a rather elderly looking but tall man with silver hair stepped out of a doorway on the side of the great machine.

"Well, if my old friend and mentor Dr, Abner Perry were still here he would call it by its proper name, a high calibration drilling machine." The aged man went on.

"Ladies and Gentlemen. Allow me to introduce to you Professor David Innes. He will be piloting this craft with you in it all the way to Pellucidar."

"We're going there in this thing?" The Slayer spat with a mixture of both disbelief and concern.

"Indeed you are my dear." Sawyer confirmed.

"Well, this is going to be fun." Indy said somewhat mockingly.

"Stow the skepticism friends, the Iron Mole has already been to Pellucidar and back once before, she'll get you there and back home no problem, I guarantee it." David proclaimed with confidence.

"He is quite correct, David and his former professor traveled to Pellucidar over 40 years ago as a result of a freak accident, he like Tarzan is among those select few who have been to that savage land and returned to tell the tale. In this the journey will take but a few hours." Sawyer explained, "Professor Innes, are you ready for departure?"

"Yep, just finished up the last systems check, everyone can board immediately if they choose, I'm ready whenever they are."

"Well then, good luck one and all. May God be with you all." Sawyer told them.

In short order they had all boarded and the hull latch closed shut as a hydraulic lifting platform proceeded to raise the rear of Iron Mole up off the floor angling its drill tip down towards an open pit in the floor to the ground beneath. Once they had reached the proper angle David activated the drill and the primary engine fired as they started to burrow into the earth. Within a few moments, they were gone.

Later in mid transit, Indy decided to have a few words with whom had thus far been the least talkative of their group.

"You don't smile much do you or talk much for that matter?" He said sitting down next to Abby.

"Not much reason to."

"So I hear. So what got you onboard?"

"He said they could make me human again."

"Is that what you want?"

"Yes."

"So you never asked to be a vampire."

"…no."

"Looking for some redemption?"

"There is none for me, I'm a killer."

"None of us here are innocent sweetheart. We've all killed."

"You've killed Nazis and other bad people. So has The Shadow and Tarzan and the Slayer."

"And you haven't?"

"Yes…but that isn't all. I've killed innocents too. When the hunger comes, it doesn't care what *I* want, it just wants to feed…sometimes I think about just sitting and waiting for the sun to rise…but Godddamn me I'm just too weak and afraid to do it. In the end I am just a monster."

"Not wanting to die doesn't make you monster…it just makes you as human as the rest of us, we'll figuratively anyways, considering our present company."

"My humanity died a long time ago."

"If that we're true you wouldn't be here. I think in some cases I do believe that some deserve second chances."

"What she deserves is a wooden stake through her dry dead heart." The Slayer hissed contemptuously.

"Don't get your panties in a bunch girly," Jones said getting up and turning to face Elizabeth, "Or is it just that time of the month?"

In the blink of an eye the Slayer had Jones pinned against the wall of the Mole with her right hand wrapped around his neck.

"Shoot your mouth off again and I'll cut it off of you. I'm not one of your little dumb little damsels in distress, I'm a Slayer, no one tells me what to do."

"Except your Watcher, who I hear is dead because of you. Did you kill him for having a sense of humor too?"

"I could snap your neck like a twig if I wanted to."

The slayer began to tighten her grip when the cocking of a gun hammer right behind her left ear got her attention. She looked over her shoulder to see the Shadow standing there with one of his 45s leveled at her head.

"Slayer or not, I'm pretty sure you're not bullet proof. So how about you shove your personal feelings where the sun doesn't shine, sit down and keep focused on the reason that we're all here."

"Easy for you to say, I never asked to join this group, I was blackmailed."

"Perhaps if you kept better company that wouldn't be an issue. I'd expect better of one chosen to be a Slayer."

"My personal life is none of your damn business."

"No, but the success of this mission is." The Shadow told her as Indiana suddenly drew his pistol and pointed it up at her chin as her head turned back around to face him.

"Well? What's it going to be sweetheart?" Jones asked her with a smirk.

After a few more tense moments she finally let Jones go and slowly returned to her seat glaring at them all the while. Nearby Tarzan had been watching everything that had transpired very cautiously, ready to intervene himself if he had to, but thankfully that had not been the case.

Indiana then sat back down next to Abby.

"I gotta say, I got nothing but respect for Sawyer for putting this whole operation together, but putting a vampire slayer on the same team with a vampire? Not one of his best ideas I'd wager. Almost as bad as throwing a Jew in with a Nazi, hmmm…that sounds like the setup to a really bad joke." Jones quipped causing Abby to crack a brief grin.

"Ha, made you smile." He teased her.

Meanwhile as the Shadow sat back down he thought about Abby's tragic circumstances and what Indy had said. If there was anyone here who understood the concept of trying to redeem oneself for past sins it was definitely Cranston, the man who was once known as Ying Ko, the butcher of Lassa, one of the most brutal and merciless warlords in all of Mongolia.

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Hours later the Iron Mole finally reached its destination as it breached into Pellucidar, They had tunneled around the subterranean world's perimeter so that they would come up through it's bedrock and soil surface area rather than come through from above which would have resulted in a 20 mile plummet that more than likely none of them would survive. David had punched in the same coordinates that he and Dr. Perry had left from over 40 years ago so that they would come up near the tribal village that they had befriended so long ago, whether or not they would remember him however was a different story entirely.

"Bottom floor, Monsters, madmen and monkey people, everybody out. Told ya I'd get ya here in one piece." David said smugly as everyone started to get up out of their seats.

"Is it safe to go outside?" Indy asked.

"Yep, we're near one of the villages, no creature action round these parts. We're actually on the outskirts, gotta travel into the interior to find anything nasty." David told him.

With that he threw the lever for the hatch as light suddenly poured in causing Abby to instinctively flinch and dart for the shadows.

"Relax honey, that ain't sunlight coming in, not natural sunlight anyways, that's Pellucidar's ceiling, illuminated by magma flows through the mantle 20 miles above us to glow as bright as day, albeit with a odd sort of pink hue. In any case you won't be bursting into flame here." David explained.

"That's a shame." Elizabeth said sarcastically as Indy shot her a dirty look.

Abby then slowly got back up and stepped with some trepidation into the light shining through the doorway from outside. Her skin tingled when it touched her as she allowed herself to bask in the abnormal rays. Abby permitted herself a momentary smile, it may not have been real sunlight, but it had been so long since she had felt the real thing that she could hardly recall the memory of it. The others merely looked on as she stood there. After a few more seconds she walked forward as the others stepped out behind her.

David was the last to step out as he sealed the door of the Iron Mole behind them. As they proceeded to walk towards the village Tarzan and David took the lead. It was hoped that the villagers would remember them to help reestablish peaceful contact.

As they approached, the village elder, a man named Baga spotted them coming and immediately recognized Tarzan, whom had been to Pellucidar far more recently than David.

"Tarzan, welcome old friend!" He shouted, but seemed to somewhat balk at those who were with him as he took notice of their strange clothing.

"No worry, these Tarzan's friends, this one you know too, long time ago." He shouted back as he gestured towards David.

"David?" Baga said with disbelief.

The last time he had actually seen David he was but a young warrior, but he remembered well how David and Abner helped his father Gak and their people to fight for their freedom and overthrow their former slave masters the Mahars.

"Yes Baga, it's me." David said as the group walked up to him, all the while villagers gathered behind Baga to see what all of the fuss was about.

"It is good to see both of you again, welcome to you and your friends. What brings you back to Pellucidar?"

"We search for someone. Man from our world above who come here." Tarzan explained.

"The man named Lane?" Baga guessed.

"He was here?" The Shadow asked.

"Some time ago, he was here a short while before moving on."

"Where to?" Indy interceded.

"To the west, towards the Great Peak near the Lidi plains."

"Did he say why he had come here?" David asked."

"No, he said little of his purpose but chose instead to befriend our people and learn of our customs instead. He would speak of nothing else."

"Why in God's name would he leave the village, he would stand no chance out there alone." David said.

"He wasn't alone." Baga revealed.

"He wasn't?" The Shadow said.

"No, he came here with a group."

"Well, that slightly increases their odds of survival but not by much." David warned.

"Tarzan, could you track his footsteps, pick up his trail?" The Shadow suggested.

"Yes."

"I can help too Abby spoke up."

"How so?" Indy queried.

"Did he leave anything behind when he left?" Abby asked.

With that one of the village children brought forth a pocket watch. Abby then held it up to her nose and sniffed it a couple of times.

"I have his scent now." She declared.

"You saying you can follow him like a bloodhound?" David questioned, to which Abby merely nodded.

"Good, between you and Tarzan we should be able to track him down no problem, but why in God's name would he leave his watch behind?" The Shadow stated.

"Probably because there's no night here, only perpetual daylight, it plays tricks on you, screws up your biological clock the longer you're here." David said as he then turned and stepped towards Baga, "Baga, can you please tell me…is Dia still alive?" He inquired with an almost pleading desperation.

"Yes." A female voice suddenly called from the crowd.

"David turned to see his beloved Dia step out into the open as David walked up to her and gave her a loving embrace.

Once they broke the hug they stared longingly into each other's eyes. She was aged now with streaks of silver in her long hair, but to David she was still as beautiful as she ever was.

"I was such a fool, why did I ever leave you?" David admitted.

"You loved your home as much as I loved mine, that was why I could not come back to your world with you all those years ago when you asked me to and why you could not stay."

"I lived to regret that choice. Nothing was ever the same for me after I left here, I found myself wishing that I had stayed here with you." He confesed with shame as he hung his head, suddenly unable to look her in the eyes.

But he suddenly felt her soft gentle hands touch his cheeks as she lifted his gaze back up to meet hers.

"There were times when I thought the same thing about not going with you my love. But the past is the past and you are here now and that is all that matters." She affirmed.

As they stared into each other's eyes it was as if they had fallen in love all over again. But as they watched each other, Abby, watched them. She'd be lying if she said that she didn't feel envious. She had often wondered what it would be like to feel that kind of love for someone and to have someone love her back in the same way. But that was a silly dream for a silly little girl, fact of the matter was, she couldn't even call herself that anymore. But if what Sawyer had said was true, if she could be turned human again, then maybe, just maybe she could experience these things for herself…someday.

"I think it's pretty obvious that David is going to want to stay behind, in the meantime let's do the job we were sent here to do." Indy recommended, "Tarzan, Abby? We're ready when ever you are."

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Their journey eventually led them to an archaic rope bridge that spanned a huge chasm, and far below, a rushing river. The group slowly made its way across and wasn't even halfway when the terrible sound of tearing ropes rang out.

"Oh no." Indy grumbled.

"Everyone freeze!" The Shadow warned.

""What if we just let ourselves drop into the river?" Abby asked.

"Very bad, sea serpents wait below to eat us." Tarzan told her."

Just then more ripping sounds signified the last of the bridge's bonds letting loose.

As it gave way, Elizabeth, who was at the rear and had just stepped onto the bridge did a quick back flip putting her back on the ledge. She then snatched up the ropes before they could fall. Now her Slayer strength alone was holding the bridge up and keeping everyone from falling. Abby reacted quickly taking to the sky and grabbing whomever was closest, which happened to be Indy right in front of her. She whisked him across to the other side and proceeded to do the same for the others.

After everyone had been taken off the bridge the Slayer let it drop. Abby then flew back to get her.

"Don't touch me." Elizabeth snapped as Abby reached for her.

"Then what are you going to do? Last I checked flying wasn't one of your Slayer powers and I'm pretty sure you not going to jump across." Abby reminded her.

With an angry grunt the Slayer finally complied as Abby grabbed her and flew her across as well.

"Let go of me!" Elizabeth barked wrestling free of Abby's grasp once she touched down.

"Thanks for saving us back there." The Shadow said to the Slayer.

"I don't give a damn about any of you. The only reason that I'm even here is because of what Sawyer is holding over my head, otherwise, I would've just let you all drop." She snarled before storming off.

"Well, isn't she a charmer." Indy joked.

But just then they were ambushed on all sides by what looked to be an aboriginal tribe all armed with bows and arrows.

"We just can't catch a break can we?" Indy snorted as the group as a whole took defensive stances.

"No wait, this Burakkuu tribe, Tarzan friends." the lord of the apes touted.

"Uh, then why are they pointing arrows at us?" The Shadow asked.

"I talk to them." Tarzan said as he began an exchange in their native dialect.

"For someone who knows so many languages you'd think he'd learn to speak proper English." The Slayer sassed.

"He doesn't have much use for it back in his African home." Indy advised.

"He apparently doesn't have much use for soap and water either." She groaned.

"Do you know how not to be a bitch?" Indy asked sarcastically.

"Do you know how to shut the Hell up?" She retorted.

Meanwhile, though the rest of the group could not understand what was being said between Tarzan and the tribesmen, they could tell by the tone of their voices that it wasn't going well.

"This not good." Tarzan said turning back to his comrades.

"Why?" Abby asked.

"They take us back to Chieftain. They capture intruders, take to him."

"What happened to no bad tribes?" Elizabeth sneered.

"They good tribe once, ruled by good Chieftain. Good Chieftain die, son now rule, son bad."

"Great." Indy grumbled.

Elizabeth started to draw her sword causing the natives to encircle her specifically.

"Don't do anything stupid." Indy told her.

"They ain't taking me anywhere. I say we gut every last one of em." The Slayer scowled.

"We're grossly outnumbered and Slayer or not I seriously doubt you could shrug off being turned into a human pincushion for about fifty arrows." The Shadow cautioned.

"Abby, could you fly us outta here?" Indy suggested, but the Shadow interrupted before she could answer.

"I'd say that any sudden movements would be a bad idea."

In short order they were ushered back to the Burakkuu village. Once they got there they were brought before the new Chieftain.

"Do you think you could reason with him?" Indy whispered to Tarzan.

"Not good idea."

"Why?"

"See Chieftain only have one eye?" Tarzan whispered back.

"Yeah."

"Tarzan reason he only have one eye."

"What?"

"Son try kill father. Take over tribe. Tarzan stop son, son swear revenge."

"Crap."

The Chieftain then began shouting and screaming in his native language, he sounded none too happy.

"What did he say?" Abby asked.

"He going sacrifice us to God." Tarzan informed them.

"The Hell he is!" The Slayer snarled, "I say we fight our way out of this!"

"We didn't come here to wipe out a tribe of people, besides they're not evil, they must obey the ruling Chieftain whether they want to or not." Indy told her.

"If he's so bad why don't they just overthrow him or something?" Abby inquired.

It's not that simple Abby. His word is law, to disobey means death. I've been around enough primitive tribes to know." Indy explained.

"I ain't being sacrificed to some stupid prehistoric pagan god, I'd rather go down fighting." Elizabeth droned defiantly.

"There's no reason to fight at all. There are other alternatives." The Shadow offered, "Tarzan?"

"Yes?"

"I will need you to translate for me as I speak, do you understand?"

"Yes."

The Shadow then began to focus an intense stare upon the Chieftain. When their eyes met it suddenly seemed that the tribal leader was disoriented. The Shadow's gaze seemed to penetrate into his very soul as he began to speak.

"You will not harm us, you will release us immediately. Further more, you will rule your people the way your father did. You shall capture and kill no more."

Tarzan then spoke what The Shadow had said in the Burakkuu's language as the Shadow's withering scrutiny continued to bear down on the Chieftain. When he had finished the Burakkuu leader snapped out of the trance and his tone and demeanor seemed to change instantly as he suddenly did everything that the Shadow had said. They were sent on their way shortly after.

"I'll make you a deal Shadow, I'll give you all of my grenades if you teach me that trick." Indy joked as Cranston grinned behind his scarf.

A short time later after moving through some rather dense jungle they accidentally stepped into the nesting place of a giant Carnu plant. Which immediately stirred upon their arrival.

"Whoa, what in the Hell is that?" Indy asked.

"Carnu!" Tarzan answered.

"A what?" The Shadow pressed on.

"Plant that eat people!" Tarzan exclaimed.

"Oh great." The Slayer moaned as the animate greenery attacked them.

The thick vines of the sentient plant surged forward attempting to entangle and ensnare them all. The Slayer hacked away with her sword while the others cut at the attacking coils with their knives. Abby meanwhile simply ripped through them with her bare hands or savaged them with her gnarled teeth. But for every one they sliced off more seemed to appear. It was clear that this thing had to be literally cut off at the roots. The Slayer charged forward strait at the plant creature's gaping maw as it opened wide almost expecting her to jump in. But when she reached it she sliced the moving jaw/trap of the man-eating vegetable clean off. She then reared back and buried her sword into the monster's roots. It reacted by smacking her away with one of its tentacles as she went flying through the air and landing hard.

Indy and The Shadow whipped out their guns and pumped several rounds into it but it had no seeable effect. Abby managing to struggle free of the appendages that were restraining her, flew up into the sky out of their reach and then came back down in front of the plant's head as she started to rip and tear at the very roots that the Slayer had began to cut into. The fearsome foliage responded by wrapping one of its tendrils around her head as it lifted her up and began to slam onto the ground repeatedly. Tarzan in the meantime was being lifted off the ground by one of the vines when the Slayer's sword came twirling though the air cutting it off as the lord of the apes fell back to the ground. The two of them however found themselves beset upon by even more of the aggressive cords as they attempted to fight them off as best they could.

Meanwhile Abby was still being hammered while both Indy and the Shadow had been practically mummified by the plant's multitude of snakelike arms. They were being pulled towards the thing's mouth, clearly not having a working jaw wasn't going to stop the carnivorous flora from trying to consume them. But Indy luckily managed to get one of his arms free and in his hand was a grenade that he pulled the pin out of with his mouth. He then tossed it in and a few moments later the head of the monstrous herbage exploded in a rather slimy display. Instantly its vines dropped to the ground lifelessly and the ones wrapped around Indy, The Shadow and Abby loosened.

"Nice stunt, guess I'll have to think about starting to pack grenades on me." The Shadow said to Indy.

"Never know when they'll come in handy." He said with a smile as he walked over to Abby, "Are you alright?"

"Yea, a little woozy, but I'll be okay." She answered shaking her head.

"Well, that's a shame." The Slayer said bluntly giving Abby a dirty look as Indy frowned back at her.

Elizabeth then decided to direct her anger at someone else.

"I thought you said that this was a safe path!" The Slayer shouted getting in Tarzan's face.

"This safe path. Safe from bad tribes, safe from cannibals, safe from Sagoths."

"And the thing that just attacked us?"

"This it home, we intruders."

"And you didn't know that it was here because? You're supposed to be our damn guide!"

"Tarzan not be here many years, Carnu grow fast, not here before."

"Bullshit!"

"Tarzan know right way to go, must follow." He tried to explain as best he could with his broken English.

"Could someone translate for me please? I don't speak retard!" Elizabeth grumbled.

"Here in Pellucidar there is no such thing as safe, just safer. This is a no man's land full of unspeakable horrors. Why do you think that the human tribes of this world haven't expanded far from their home? It's because there's just too many damn things in this place that want to hunt, kill and eat them that's why! I can see now why Sawyer wanted to send a group here. Any one of us trying this on our own would probably be dead already. Is that clear enough for you?" Indy tried to make her understand.

"Stuff it! I don't even care!" Elizabeth bit back.

"You know I think I've had about all I feel like taking from you, you spoiled little-" Indy began to argue but was interrupted when a massive charging beast came barreling out of the jungle towards them with a thundering roar. The prehistoric animal had to be at least twenty feet tall. It had curled tusks sticking out of its head, a bizarre sort of mow hawk, and odd shaped cloven feet. It looked like a cross between an upright walking wild boar and something pseudo reptilian in design.

The group scattered in all directions except for Abby who was closest to it, she spun around just as it bent down and snatched her up in its jaws swallowing her whole.

"Jesus Christ!" Indy stammered as he and the Shadow opened fire.

"Good riddance." The Slayer muttered under her breath as she charged forward.

Using her amazing Slayer speed and agility she practically took a running leap onto the creature's torso and ran up it right before burying her sword into its left collarbone all the way to the hilt. She was sure that her stab technique would and or should puncture some vital organs, chief among them its heart, but the monster threw her off sending her smashing through several trees and crashing off in the distance. Either she had missed or the animal's internal biology wasn't something comparable to surface life forms. Meanwhile Tarzan got in close dodging one of the giant's ponderous feet before slicing through its right Achilles tendon with his dagger, but it wasn't enough to bring it down. All the while Indy and the Shadow continued shooting, all of their bullets were finding their marks, but didn't seem to be stopping it, they weren't even sure if it felt pain to begin with.

The monster kicked a massive boulder that sent everyone running but The Shadow hit the ground hard as he dodged making him an easy target. The behemoth reached down and grabbed him fully intending to gulp him down as well, but Cranston once again unloaded with his guns at point blank range, meanwhile Indy uncoiled his whip and laid into the brute with it. The fiend then dropped The Shadow and turned limping towards Indy who rolled out of the way of its giant hooves as it kicked and smashed more rock in various directions. Some of the debris hit Indy in the back as he went rolling across the ground. Just then though Tarzan came swinging in on a vine screaming his famous Tarzan yell as he landed upon the monstrosity's back as he stabbed it repeatedly with his dagger. But soon enough it threw Tarzan off as he grabbed for a tree branch on his way down.

Once more Indy and The Shadow opened fire, but it seemed to no avail.

"How in the Hell are we supposed to kill this thing?" Indy yelled.

But a moment later the creature stopped and began to grab at its insides as it wailed in apparent agony. The rest of the group was at a loss to explain what was happening when suddenly something began to rip and tear its way out from inside the monster. It was then that its torso seemingly burst open as Abby in full vamp mode exploded forth from within and fell onto the ground landing on all fours like a jungle cat. With one final shriek of misery it toppled over behind her…finally, it was dead. And there stood Abby covered from head to toe in gore and viscera, her eyes blazing yellow.

"Okay…that works." Indy commented.

"Are you alright?" The Shadow asked.

"Yeah, but uh, can someone get me a towel please, or point me in the direction of a lake perhaps?"

The Slayer meanwhile finally rejoined them looking none too pleased that Abby had survived her ordeal as she reached down and wrenched her sword from the monster's carcass.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

As they continued to follow the trail they eventually came into a clearing that placed them at the doorstep of the most stunning sight they had beheld thus far…the ruins of an ancient city.

"Good lord," Indy spoke taking a moment to pause and soak in what he was seeing, "If I didn't know any better I would say that this looked to be Sumerian or more to the point Akkadian, but that can't be. Why would such architecture be here in Pellucidar? The peoples of this world couldn't have built this. Tarzan, what about the Mahars?"

"No, been here long time, Mahar no build."

"Perhaps others have been here from the surface, other cultures maybe?" The Shadow theorized.

"You suggesting that ancient Sumerians fled to Pellucidar ages ago?" Indy asked.

"Would explain their sudden disappearance and supposed extinction." The Shadow offered.

"I guess it is possible." Indy agreed as the group moved forward.

It was then that they encountered something unusual.

"A gravestone?" The Shadow thought aloud.

On it the following was inscribed…

Jared Macintosh, born 1920, died 1943. Died a hero.

"Do you think that Dr. Lane or someone in his party dug this?" The Shadow continued.

"My guess would be yes." Indy assumed.

Tarzan's tracking indicated that the trail led into the central temple of the ruins strait ahead. Likewise Abby told them that was where the scent of Doctor Lane was strongest. They followed it there and slowly entered the ancient shrine as Indy pulled out a flashlight. After traveling down a long hallway they reached a sealed stone door.

"Great, how do we get through?" The Slayer asked.

"How about some more of those grenades Dr. Jones?" The Shadow advised.

"No wait, there's something here." Indy told them.

"What is it?" Abby asked.

"Yep, just as I thought. Ancient Akkadian, apparently Rashi script." Indy offered.

"Can you read it?" The Shadow asked.

"Well, they're just random letters. One on each stone. Unless…" Indy began to say as he started to reach out towards one of the stone slabs with his right hand.

"Wait!" Abby suggested grabbing Indy's hand.

"What's wrong?"

"Something doesn't seem right here. Are these supposed to be in a certain order?" Abby asked.

"Yes, why?"

"Humor me for a moment." She said as she picked up a stick upon the ground and pressed against the button that Indy would have touched only to have a sharp spike abruptly protrude from it where his hand would have been.

"How did you know? Do you know this language? " The Shadow pondered aloud.

"No, but I have a very old puzzle with these same markings on it. It took me longer to solve it than any other puzzle I have but I eventually figured out the right order for the symbols."

"Oh silly me, that's right, by 2000 BC Akkadian had evolved into Assyrian cuneiform, with many modifications to Sumerian orthography. The Semitic equivalents for many signs became distorted or abbreviated to form new "phonetic" values, because the syllabic nature of the script as refined by the Sumerians was unintuitive to Semitic speakers!" Indy elated with a ridiculous amount of enthusiasm.

Indy turned back around to see everyone looking at him with blank beady eyed stares.

"Sorry, I tend to get carried away, anyways, let me think…we're dealing with Assyrian…there are nine stones and…of course!"

"What?" Elizabeth asked.

"These are the first letters of the nine Sumerian gods and goddesses of Mesopotamia!"

"Huh?" The Slayer responded cluelessly.

" 'An' would be first, so…" Indy began as he extended his right hand and pressed the according stone.

As he did the wall itself began to rise up but after only making it about a foot off the ground it dropped back down again.

"What the Hell?" The Slayer spat.

"There's a pattern, alphabetically the next should be 'Enki'." Indy told them as he pressed the according switch causing the wall to raise again.

This time it went a little higher but then quickly fell back down again.

"Then 'Enlil'." He went on pressing the next as it raised the wall higher still, "Followed by 'Ereshkigal'…"

After several more of these the wall raised high enough to get through but then started to fall again as the Slayer and Abby used their metahuman strength to hold it up while the others went through.

"Try to be quick, we don't want to be standing here holding this thing up all day." The Slayer complained.

"Actually, that won't be necessary." Indy informed them as he pointed to a lever on the wall next to them, "My guess is that this is how it is opened from this side, let it drop."

"What if you're wrong?" Abby questioned.

"Do you remember the sequence that I hit the buttons in?"

"Yes." Abby said.

"Then just step out on the other side in case it doesn't work." He said as the vampire and the Slayer let it go.

The wall dropped back down and Dr. Jones then reached up and shifted the lever. A couple of seconds later the door lifted all the way back up again as Abby and Elizabeth stepped through before it came back down again.

"Just what in the Hell was the point of all that?" The Slayer complained.

"Yes it all makes sense now. This place was once a treasure chamber, thus the reason for the booby trapped door. The runes upon the walls in here tell the tale of it's origin. Makes sense that Lane would use this temple. It would make a fitting refuge from the perils of this Godforsaken place." Indy spoke.

"Come, we go." Tarzan insisted.

After traveling a short distance down the corridor they found themselves standing at the entrance to a massive cavern that had seemingly been converted into a living space of sorts. And sitting at a stone table…was Reinhardt Lane.

"Well hello there. I must admit I don't get many visitors down here." The aged scientist joked.

It was then that The Shadow stepped into view.

"The Shadow?" Reinhardt said with surprise.

"He is your friend, maybe you should do the talking?" Indy proposed.

"Hello Reinhardt." The Shadow greeted him.

"What are you doing here?"

"We've come to get you, to bring you back."

"I see. Well, I'm afraid that you've wasted your time."

"We nearly died trying to find you."

"I never asked to be found. I came here for a reason."

"Your country needs you."

"Technically my country is England, I was born and raised in Burnley, Lancashire."

"But you came to America, became a citizen, worked for the U.S. government."

"Indeed I did, but that was a different time. The world is changing, and I don't like the direction that it's heading."

"It will be where the Axis wants to lead it if you don't help us."

"No."

"Doctor please!"

"Don't you understand? They want the bomb, they want to use it, just as Shi-wan Khan wanted to. It can never be used, man was never meant to wield such destructive power." Reinhardt said turning away.

"So you risk death by coming here? What became of the expedition that you were a part of?"

"All dead. Some were killed by the natural perils of this land, the rest died after a nasty run in with an aboriginal tribe that wanted to sacrifice us to their god."

"Must've been the Barukkuu." Indy muttered.

"And the headstone outside?"

"Ah yes. Jared, best intern I ever had. When the last of our group were taken prisoner by the savages, we tried to make a break for it. I watched them get picked off one by one. Jared was the last, he stepped into the path of an arrow meant for me. In retrospect perhaps it would have been better if I had died, that way the terrible secrets of the atom bomb would have died with me. But in any case, coming here, risking what we did? It's all worth it if the bomb is never used. The deaths of my compatriots shall not be in vain.

"I'm afraid that you may have done this all for nothing. The Nazis are making their own atom bomb as we speak." The Shadow informed him as Reinhardt froze at the revelation.

"What? Are you serious?" He asked turning back towards The Shadow.

"I'm afraid so. You know what would happen if the Fuhrer were to gain control of such a weapon."

A look of sheer dread came across Reinhardt's face as he considered the possibilities.

"But that isn't possible, no one knows how to properly assemble it but me."

"We think that perhaps Farley Claymore may have been double dealing behind Shi-wan Khan's back while he was in his employ. Back when you were under their control and created the first bomb. Obviously one way or another, those plans for the bomb have fallen into Nazi hands."

"So it's become a race then?"

"Unfortunately yes."

"With this kind of technology, we could very well destroy ourselves and the world that we live upon."

"Not if the Axis does it first…and you know they will."

With obvious frustration Reinhardt ran his right hand through his hair as he hung his head deep in thought. The truth was there really was no right choice. The power of the atom would be unlocked one way or another, whether he liked it or not. But even he knew that in the hands of the Nazis, the worst case scenario would most certainly come to pass.

He was left with no choice.

"Very well…you have me." He finally relented as he lifted his head.

He then stood up from his resting place and walked over to them.

With Reinhardt successfully procured, the group began their trek back to the village.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

There were a couple of more skirmishes with the native wildlife on their way back, but their trip was otherwise uneventful.

Once they had returned to the village, Abby wandered into a cave where the local villagers had painted the story of how David and Abner first came to Pellucidar long ago. It showed everything that had transpired. The Mahars, the Sagoths, Baga's father Ghak, brave Ra, Hoojah the sly one, Jubal the ugly one and much more. It also showed the wedding ceremony of David and Princess Dia. Abby reached up and touched it as her imagination raced.

"Ah to be young again, what memories those were," David suddenly said walking into the cave as Abby turned to regard him, "A piece of advice little one, if Sawyer can make you human again and you do meet someone special someday? Cling to them and fight for them with all you're worth, or you will live to regret it. Trust me…I do."

But just then the Slayer stomped into the cave with her wooden stake in hand.

"Time to die bloodsucker." She hissed as she moved towards Abby.

"Not this again, Mrs. Winters, remember what we came here for." David tried to intervene.

"The mission is done, we accomplished what we came here to do, now I'm going to accomplish what I came in here to do." She threatened.

"Why? I have done nothing to you." Abby pleaded.

"You're a vampire, I'm a Slayer, do the math you stupid little leech!" She insulted.

"They hurt you didn't they?" Abby deduced.

"What?"

"You may be a Slayer, but you don't just hunt vampires, you hate them."

"Shut up."

"Something bad happened. Maybe to you or to someone you cared about?"

"I said shut up! You don't know anything!"

"I know what pain looks like, I know what misery is. I see it everyday when I look in the mirror."

"Shut your fucking mouth!"

"No matter how many you kill…it won't change the past."

Finally Elizabeth could take no more as she charged forward with a yell. David tried to bar her path but she easily knocked the old man aside as he hit the ground.

Abby barely ducked a kick that cracked the rock wall of the cave as Elizabeth went on the offensive. The tiny vampire used her speed and reflexes to dodge the Slayer's swings but Abby was running on sheer instinct whereas Elizabeth had been specially trained. It was only a matter of time before one of her kicks caught her as Abby slammed hard into the cave wall. Elizabeth lunged only to have Abby blindly lash out raking her face with her claws as she staggered back. Elizabeth looked up only to have Abby head butt her between the eyes as she fell onto her back. Abby had had enough, she was out for blood now as she pounced. But the Slayer was ready as she thrust both of her legs up drilling her feet hard into Abby's torso and sending her flying overtop of her. She landed headfirst with a thud but quickly righted herself, however Elizabeth was already in mid-charge with her stake at the ready. Abby knew she wasn't going to be able to dodge it in time, but just then David tripped the Slayer up giving Abby just enough time to sidestep the attack. Elizabeth stumbled forward as suddenly half a dozen organic darts shot into her chest.

She looked down at them for a few seconds before attempting to mumble…

"Son of a…"

She then collapsed.

Abby looked over at the mouth of the cave to see Indy standing with several villagers holding blowguns.

"What was that?" She asked.

"A dart with a potent narcotic toxin that comes from a plant native to Pellucidar. One is powerful enough to put a full grown man to sleep for three days. Since she got hit with six I wager that regardless of her Slayer resiliency we should be back on the surface and you long gone before she even begins to wake up." Indy explained with a smug grin.

"Thank you, both." She said as she looked back and forth between Indy and David who was having trouble getting back up as Abby rushed over to help him.

"I'm getting too old for this." David groaned.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

In no time the group was ready for their departure, the Iron Mole had retractable tank treads capable of moving the machine short distances that had been installed to make it easier to properly position it for drilling. But as everyone gathered David made a surprise announcement.

"I'm not going."

"What?" The Shadow asked.

"I'm staying here, I'm not making the same mistake twice." He said as Dia walked up next to him, "whatever years we have left…we will spend them together." He went on as he looked over at his wife.

"Well uh, not that we don't understand and that we're not happy for ya and such, but uh, how are we supposed to get back to the surface without a pilot for the Iron Mole?" Indy asked.

"Dr. Lane knows how to operate the machine, for him it was mere child's play to learn the controls."

"What should we tell Sawyer?" Abby spoke.

"Tell him I died here, that I didn't make it back. I don't want him sending a rescue party searching for me."

"Fair enough." The Shadow agreed.

With that the rest of the group boarded and soon enough the Iron Mole roared to life as they began their journey home.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Once they had gotten back to the surface the group had went their separate ways once more. Abby meanwhile waited patiently near where the Iron Mole was currently docked in the subterranean compound. Just then Sawyer walked in, he couldn't help but notice that she seemed nervous.

"Don't worry Abby, it won't hurt, you'll be just fine and soon you will have that which you lost so long ago.

"Not that I'm not grateful for what you are about to do for me, but what am I supposed to do once I am human again? My family, my old life, everything that I ever knew has been dead and gone for hundreds of years."

"Do not worry, I have made special arrangements for you. I already have a family lined up for adopting you and if need be, psychotherapy to help you cope with the life you have lived thus far. The last part is entirely up to you of course, I for one believe that the best medicine for a broken mind and heart is people who love you, and the new family that you will be with soon are truly wonderful people."

In no time a shaman draped in various robes with a Middle eastern flair was in the room with them as he spoke an ancient and powerful incantation, a magic spell that would restore Abby's humanity. As the unnatural alchemy reached its crescendo Abby's mind raced as she fantasized about various things. Never having to kill another person to sustain herself ever again. What it would be like to be a part of a family once more, walking in the sunlight without fear, the taste of real food that she had forgotten so long ago and more. True, it wouldn't be perfect and the horrors of her past life would more than likely haunt her for the rest of her life, but it was a cross that she was willing to bear if it meant that she could be a normal girl again.

When the spell was finished however the mystic had a look of confusion upon his face.

"What's wrong?" Sawyer asked.

"Hmmm…well uh, this is kinda embarrassing."

"What?"

"Nothing is happening."

"What? Abby, how do you feel?"

"The same, nothing has changed."

"How is that possible? Are you sure you cast the spell properly?" Sawyer said turning back towards the wizard who seemed to be somewhat insulted at what Sawyer was suggesting.

"I've been a master of mystical arts for nearly 30 years, I assure that I know what I am doing."

"Then why didn't it work?" Sawyer shot back with a exasperated huff.

"Truthfully…I just don't know."

"Is there another spell that you can try that will achieve the same result?"

"No."

"Well, then try the first one again."

"If it didn't work the first time it won't work the second."

"Is there nothing else that you can do?"

"No…I am afraid not." The mage finally admitted.

Sawyer hung his head in defeat before looking up at Abby who looked none too happy.

"Abby, I'm sorry, but it appears that I will not be able to keep my promise to you."

"You said you would make me human again! That I wouldn't have to feed or kill anymore!" She yelled.

"I know, but there is nothing else that we can do, again, I am sorry."

"Sorry doesn't change anything! Sorry doesn't give me my humanity back!" She roared as her child-like voice gave way to a darker demonic one as she proceeded to destroy everything she could get her hands on in her rage and frustration overturning tables and demolishing various kinds of equipment with her vampire strength.

When she was finished Abby became a little girl once more as she sat huddled upon the floor crying.

After a long period of silence Sawyer finally spoke up once more.

"I know that nothing I say can give you solace, but trust me when I say that you have done this country a great service and saved the lives of millions. I know that none of that really matters to you, but it means everything to me. All I can say Abby is that I can't thank you enough and I hope that someday you find what you are looking for and gain some semblance of peace and happiness."

Abby said nothing in return, her only response was to slowly float up off the floor and whisk out of the hangar. Sawyer's face was full of regret as he turned back to the shaman.

"I don't suppose you can explain what just happened?"

"I'm not sure. I'm telling you I have used this spell before and it has never failed me, not once."

"Then why was this the exception?"

"I don't know, perhaps there is a higher power at work here, something preventing the spell from doing its job."

"So you're saying that she's cursed to be like this forever? Is that her fate?"

"Perhaps fate has something else in store for her."

"Like what?"

"Who knows, only time will tell," The magic user began to say as he and Sawyer walked up to the hangar entrance and watched Abby fly away, "And for someone like Abby, time…is all that she has…

END

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For those few who may need clarification, here are the characters who appeared in this tale.

Tom Sawyer, from the original League(Shane West)

Abby, from the film 'Let Me In'(Chloe Grace Moretz)

Indiana Jones, from the films of the same name(Harrison Ford)

The Shadow. from the film of the same name(Alec Baldwin)

Tarzan, from the films of the same name(Johnny Weissmuller)

Elizabeth Winters, from the Buffy The Vampire Slayer expanded universe book, 'Tales Of The Slayer'

David Innes, from the film 'At The Earth's Core'(Doug McClure)

Dr. Reinhardt Lane, from the film 'The Shadow'(Ian McKellen)

Dia, from the film 'At The Earth's Core'(Caroline Munro)

Other characters appearing in this tale were OCs created by me.

Thanks to everyone for reading, hope you enjoyed the story. :)


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